Affirmation Of Patriarchy In A Midsummer Night's Dream

Women in the play, A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare are degraded and treated as objects. Agreeing with The Plays Affirmation of Patriarchy by Shirley Garner, I believe that the women of the play are not respected and treated as though they are subjects to the men. Shirley’s essay brings up detailed and specific examples in which women are degraded. Women throughout the play are forced into situations in which they do not want to partake in. Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, and Hermia, daughter of Egeus are forced into marriages. Women are also taken advantage of throughout the play by the men they love. Helena, a young woman in love with Demetrius, is taken advantage of by him, and Titania, queen of the fairies is put under a spell by Oberon. The treatment of the women by the men in this play is inappropriate and disgusting.

Women throughout the play are forced into situations in which they do not want to partake in.

In the play Hippolyta is getting married to Theseus, the duke of Athens, at the next new moon. In the beginning of the play we find out that Theseus conquered her home and took her as a bride when he says, “Hippolyta, I wooed thee with my sword and won thy love doing thee injuries. But I will wed thee in another key, With pomp, with triumph, and with revealing” (1.1.16-19). Theseus takes Hippolyta from her family, destroyers her home, and takes her for his bride. All these facts contribute to the fact that Theseus forces Hippolyta into marriage, and treats her as an object that can not make up her own mind. Another women in the play forced into marriage is Hermia. Hermia’s father Egeus wishes for her to marry Demetrius instead of her true love Lysander. Egeus goes to Theseus to force his daughter's marriage and forbid her from marrying Lysander. After hearing their situation Theseus tells

Hermia,
“Either to die the death or to abjure Forever the society of men. Examine well your blood— whether, if you yield not to your father’s choice, you can endure the livery of a nun, for aye to be in shady cloister mew'd, to live a barren sister all your life. But earthlier happy is the rose distilled than that which, withering on the virgin thorn, grows, lives, and dies in single blessedness” (1.1.65-78).
In this quote Theseus tells Hermia that she could either be executed for going against her father's wishes or be put in a nunnery and live a chaste life. This quote shows how unfair Hermia was treated and the obstacles she had to face to be with the one she loved. I agree with Shirley Garner when she writes how Theseus and Egeus want to obtain the exclusive love for a women so they attempt to limit women's power. The controlling of women's power is shown throughout the play.
Women are also taken advantage of throughout the play by the man they love. Helena, who is in love with Demetrius is a victim to this. In the beginning of the play Helena tells Demetrius were Lysander and Hermia are headed off to when fleeing. On their way to find Lysander and Hermia, Demetrius says awful things to Helena which includes him saying, “I will not stay thy questions. Let me go. Or if thou follow me, do not believe but I shall do thee mischief in the wood”(2.1.220-223). Demetrius is very rude and unaffectionate towards Helena and uses her to get close to Hermia. Titania, the fairy queen, is also taken advantage of throughout the play. Having the little Indian boy Oberon wants, he puts the potion on Titania’s eyes which forces her to fall in love with a man that has a donkey’s head. As her love for the creature progresses Oberon sits and laughs at the queen as she falls in love with the hideous creature. Oberon says, “Welcome, good Robin. Do you see this sweet sight? Now I’m starting to pity Titania for being so infatuated”(4.1.29-30). This quote shows just how funny he finds degrading the fairy queen and how little respect he has for her. Titania is treated as an object and forced into a situation she didn't want to happen. She is used to get what Oberon desires and then is told what to do. I agree with Shirley Garner when she writes that “Oberon's gain is Titania’s loss”. Oberon gains the little boy and demens Titania in the process.
A Midsummer Night's Dream was a great read even with the degradation of women. Throughout the play women are thought of as subjects to men and are treated as objects. Shirley Garner puts parts of the play into perspective which I never really thought about while reading the play. Shirley's assumptions have allowed me to really get into the play and see all the manipulation throughout the play. The critical response has opened my eyes to different aspects of the book and has allowed be to change my perspective on different things.